Permilla Dean Ficken

Permilla Dean Ficken of Auburn, WA passed away on Friday, January 16, 2009. She was 86 years old.“Ike” as she preferred to be called was born on February 14, l922 in Burt, Iowa. She was one of fifteen children born to Harry and Bernice Curran and raised in Iowa and Minnesota. She married Sherman Herbert Ficken on January 26, l940. Together they raised six children, Nola, LeRoy, Vivian, Sherman,Gerald and DeWayne.Ike worked a short time at Boeing before becoming a grocery clerk. She worked at several stores in the Western Washington area before retiring in May of l984. Mom’s talents were unlimited but some she enjoyed most were cooking, knitting, ceramics, painting, gardening, fishing, traveling and large gatherings of family for Sunday dinners. Most of all she loved playing cards, undoubtedly the best card player to ever come our way. Her special time was the holiday period between Thanksgiving and New Years. Our home and grounds were always beautifully decorated, sumptuous smells flowing through the house from the kitchen, filling our senses with keen anticipation. All this culminated with relatives coming home for a traditional Christmas Eve night of gift giving, followed the next day by the feast of Christmas dinner.She is survived by her six children, fourteen grandchildren,twenty great grandchildren, five step grandchildren and three great great grandchildren. Memorial services were held at 1:00PM atCelebration Community Church Saturday, January 24 2009.

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